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Crémant du Jura Brut, Domaine de Montbourgeau NV

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From the Autoroute des Alpes, which we travel on at least a couple of times a year, you can see the beautiful vineyards of the Jura, better known for their unique barrel-aged whites. This is where our truffle-snuffling sparkling-wine buyer, Marcel Orford-Williams, unearthed this delightful bone-dry sparkler in the village of L’Etoile, and it became an immediate hit. Made from young vines by Nicole Deriaux at her family domaine and by the Champagne method, it is a chardonnay bottled without dosage but rounded and deliciously easy to drink.

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Producer Profile

Domaine de Montbourgeau

From the Autoroute des Alpes in eastern France, on which our buyer Marcel Orford-Williams travels at least a couple of times a year, you can see the beautiful vineyards of the Jura. In the south-west of this region is L’Etoile, a village whose name means ‘star’, thanks either to the ancient starfish fossils found in the soil here or to the five hills surrounding it in a star shape.

Nicole Deriaux is the third generation of her family to produce wines here since her grandfather first planted vineyards at this domaine in 1920 – she began assisting her father Jean in 1986, and her own sons are eager to be involved.

She manages the estate’s 9 hectares of vines with great respect for the soil. Most of the plantings are chardonnay, with just under two hectares of savagnin, but there are also small amounts of trousseau (also known as bastardo) and poulsard, two local Jura varieties.

All grapes are hand harvested before being transported to the cellars under the family home for a very traditional vinification process. Fermentation occurs in stainless-steel tanks before the wines are aged in barrels of various sizes and ages. The savagnin we buy is aged for four years, whereas the Vin Jaune – also made from savagnin – must spend seven years in barrels before bottling.

Nicole’s Crémant de Jura is made in small quantities, using the Champagne method, from her young chardonnay vines. It undergoes both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, and spends at least 18 months ageing on its lees, before being bottled without dosage to ensure a completely dry style.

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Reviews

Members' Reviews (6)

Average rating: 3.6 stars (3 ratings)

MOST HELPFUL MEMBERS' REVIEWS:

25-Jul-2015Mr Nigel Skelsey

"I didn't like this. Bone dry, austere, lean, with a hint of grapefruit zest and no complexity. A dash of Cassis or Framboise perks it up no end, but drinking it straight was not a pleasurable experience and I positively like dry, acidic, zesty wines so it's not that I don't like the style. Have to say I am rather bewildered by the positive Press reviews on here. I'm all for making a non-dosage wine, but you do need impeccable raw materials if you are going to do that and the Jura is not one of the great wine regions of the world for the very simple reason that they don't have the impeccable raw materials. Simply taking a rustic vin de table and sticking some bubbles in it is not going to work in my opinion. Add an £11.95 price tag and I'm afraid one is probably fighting a losing battle."

27-Nov-2015Dr Dyfrig M Davies

"I ordered this as a change from Society's Crémant De Loire as a sparkly short of Champagne. I must agree with the previous member I feel that although this is really bone dry, it does lack the flavour of our usual tipple. A dry fizz without significant taste is fit only as a mixer and at this price it is wasteful. I will not be ordering this again and have sent for some more Crémant De loire. I can't understand from where the professional reviewers got their descriptions. Sorry, I don't often write negative reviews."

Displaying 1-6 of 6 member reviews

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MOST RECENT MEMBERS' REVIEWS:

21-Dec-2019Mr Simon Milner

"Just pushing up to 2. Very dry, yes, but at the same time rather characterless. Strange aftertaste of dolly mixture. Like others, I will head back to the Crémant de Loire. "

"I adore this wine!
Too many Crémants seem to be bottled a day or two after their 9 months minimum but this feels like it’s had longer.
Gorgeous colour with hints of gold, beautifully pure and focussed, very dry (probably Extra Brut) with lemon, green apple, hazelnut and light pastry & Parmesan notes. There’s also a light oxidative bruised apple note that adds real character to the wine. A fantastic alternative to cheap Champagne, a very grown up fizz, in my mind if Bollinger made Crémant this would be it. If you’re looking to step up from Prosecco this is probably too austere for you but if you already appreciate Crémant or Champagne you should love this!"

"I ordered this as a change from Society's Crémant De Loire as a sparkly short of Champagne. I must agree with the previous member I feel that although this is really bone dry, it does lack the flavour of our usual tipple. A dry fizz without significant taste is fit only as a mixer and at this price it is wasteful. I will not be ordering this again and have sent for some more Crémant De loire. I can't understand from where the professional reviewers got their descriptions. Sorry, I don't often write negative reviews."

"I didn't like this. Bone dry, austere, lean, with a hint of grapefruit zest and no complexity. A dash of Cassis or Framboise perks it up no end, but drinking it straight was not a pleasurable experience and I positively like dry, acidic, zesty wines so it's not that I don't like the style. Have to say I am rather bewildered by the positive Press reviews on here. I'm all for making a non-dosage wine, but you do need impeccable raw materials if you are going to do that and the Jura is not one of the great wine regions of the world for the very simple reason that they don't have the impeccable raw materials. Simply taking a rustic vin de table and sticking some bubbles in it is not going to work in my opinion. Add an £11.95 price tag and I'm afraid one is probably fighting a losing battle."

Press Reviews (22)

Decanter 5th Aug 2019

"Must-try fizz: Nicole Deriaux is the third-generation
winemaker at this 9ha property in the village of L'Etoile (note the star on the
bottle), since her grandfather planted vineyards here in 1920. This 100%
chardonnay spends 18 months ageing on its lees in bottle and sees no dosage,
resulting in a chalky, bone-dry fizz with lovely toasty autolytic complexity to
join flavours of apple compote, baking spices and fresh acidity. - Tina Gellie"

Times of Tunbridge Wells 26th Jun 2019

"This is a stunning
bargain bottle of bone-dry (zero dosage) French traditional method fizz from an
appellation created in just 1995 that punches gloriously above its price.
Orchard and white fruits ring with an urgency across saliva-inducing acidity,
combining with wet stone minerality. No room for argument, this is a very good
wine to drink with smoked salmon, seafood risotto, fish and chips or ceviche. - James Viner"

"A nutty chardonnay
for those who like fizz very dry. It says Brut on the label, but it seems Extra
Brut to my palate without any dosage. Initially floral with zippy freshness and
apple flavours; a touch rustic on the finish. An interesting find made by a
small nine hectare family estate run by third generation winemaker Nicole
Deriaux near L'Etoile town in Jura. - Rose Murray Brown"

Reader's Digest 1st Dec 2015

"Great value - dry and light with apple notes. - Rachel Walker"

The Sunday Times 4th Oct 2015

"This comes from
France's hidden wine region by the Alps. Dry and spritzy, what it lacks in
structure it makes up for in price. - Will Lyons"

The Guardian 22nd Aug 2015

"On a par with
Champagne. - Fiona Beckett"

The Times 8th Aug 2015

"Goodbye to sticky
prosecco, hello to this bone-dry chardonnay bubbly from eastern France, made
using the champagne method, complete with plenty of ripe, elegant, braeburn
apple crunch. - Jane MacQuitty"

The Mail on Sunday 24th May 2015

"As bright and buzzing
as a lightsabre - alas you have to make your own sound effects. - Olly Smith"

winegang.com 1st May 2015

"Apple-scented,
bone-dry, light and linear with lime-zest acidity. It's made from Chardonnay in
the same way as non-vintage Champagne (in this case aged for 18 months on its
lees) but, as you would expect from the price, doesn't have Champagne's
complexity."

Decanter 29th Apr 2015

"100% chardonnay. It
says Brut on the label but is essentially Brut Nature as no dosage was added.
Very individual in style with great depth of flavour - there's a layer of
minerals which compliment the white fruit, and a lovely nutty finish. A
brilliant buy. - Christelle Guibert"

"Wonderfully clean,
characterful fizz with a (pleasant) suggestion of cider apples about it. It
would win no prizes for sophistication but is a very honest example of one of
France’s better-value appellations. Good Value. - Jancis Robinson"

Press & Journal 12th Dec 2014

"With lively orchard
fruit and floral scents, it's zingy with a lovely bubble factor and zingy and
citrus finish. It's zero dosage (also look out for terms such as brut nature
and brut zero) which means it's bone dry at the end but perfectly tuned with the
fruit. - Carol Brown"

Daily Mail 23rd Oct 2014

"French, fizzy and
fabulous. Made in the same way as Champagne, with a second bubble-inducing
fermentation in the bottle, but it's from Jura in eastern France, and has a
much lower price tag than Champagne. Mostly from chardonnay grapes, it's bone
dry and a great alternative to prosecco. - Helen McGinn"

Wine-pages.com 13th Jun 2014

"Lots of apple and a
nice meaty undertones, savoury but very crisp. The palate explodes with crunchy
flavour, with lots of juicy apple and the zip of lemon zest. Long and easy to
drink, despite being totally dry in the finish. - Tom Cannavan"

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